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Why is it so important for me to finish my antibiotics even when I feel better?

"Ask the Experts" at East Jefferson General Hospital [Web Exclusive Content]

Why is it so important for me to
finish my antibiotics even when I feel better?

Many people feel better and believe
there is no need to continue with their medication, but this can be
very deceptive. What most people don't realize is that when
antibiotics are administered, the time in which you take them has to
do with the odds of you successfully treating the infection. For
example, if you are given a seven-day course and you only take it for
four days, there may be only a 60% chance of it being effective. As
you increase the time you take it, the greater the odds that it will
be effective and you will not have a recurrence.

For example, if a person has a
respiratory infection and takes the entire course of antibiotic,
there may be a 95% chance that the infection is taken care of. Every
day a dose is skipped, you reduce the chances of effectiveness. The
other important reason to complete an entire antibiotic course is
that if you partially treat an infection and the infection gets
worse, it will be harder to treat it the next time. You could
possibly develop a resistance to antibiotics from the present illness
or future illnesses.

People with chronic medical conditions
such as COPD, congestive heart failure, and diabetes should
definitely complete their antibiotics because they are at increased
risk of having persistent infections. People who have recurrent
infections are also more at risk of having resistant organisms, so it
is even more important for them to complete their antibiotics.

Dr. Brad
Collins is an internist at East Jefferson General Hospital. To make
an appointment with Dr. Collins or another physician at EJGH, please
contact HealthFinder at 504-456-5000.